


on my way to believing

by archers_and_spies



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Dancing, F/M, JARVIS has a Clintasha playlist like all of us do, Natasha nearly bleeds out in a cab, Stark Tower, the unfamiliar concept of "home", the usual post-mission fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:06:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22333882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archers_and_spies/pseuds/archers_and_spies
Summary: He finds her huddled on the couch, facing the glass windows that overlook the (not quite) sleeping city, but she had no doubt heard him come in. He sets down his bags gently, racks his mind for a way to quickly hide the cuts all over his arms, fails to think of one, and braces himself as she turns.
Relationships: Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov
Comments: 4
Kudos: 37





	on my way to believing

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this on a Friday night after getting emotional while listening to my Clintnat playlist as one does, and then I went to Disneyland yesterday and saw a set of Clintasha action figures that reminded me to publish this :)
> 
> I own... literally nothing. Not the characters, not the places, and the title is borrowed from Paramore's _The Only Exception_.

The common room of the Tower is only illuminated by the few lights left outside, mostly from neon bar signs or office skyscrapers. He finds her huddled on the couch, facing the glass windows that overlook the (not quite) sleeping city, but she had no doubt heard him come in. He sets down his bags gently, racks his mind for a way to quickly hide the cuts all over his arms, fails to think of one, and braces himself as she turns.

For a moment, the space between them is filled with charged silence, unspoken words. His name forms on Natasha’s lips even though she doesn’t make a sound, not daring to break the sacred quiet.

She gets up then, resting a cup of tea he didn’t notice she was holding onto the coffee table Stark had bought just before Clint was shipped out, and walks slowly up to him until there’s hardly any room for either of them to breathe. She’s looking up, and he’s looking down into those green, green eyes, and he doesn’t know what to expect when she pulls him into a gentle kiss. He’s vaguely aware of the smooth skin of her cheek under his right hand, and his other one tangled in her red hair.

“Missed ya,” she whispers smiling, and it makes his heart flutter. “But as happy as I am to see you, shouldn’t you be in Medical right now?”

“I hate Medical,” he says as if that explains everything. The first words he speaks to her in two weeks.

“I know.” She smiles again, and _god_ , it should be illegal to look this beautiful. She reaches to take his hand. “Dance with me?”

“Wow, you really did miss me,” he teases, but rests a hand on her waist anyway. She lays her head on his chest, and they sway to the soft music JARVIS puts on. Yes, the risk of Tony or Bruce stumbling in on this is way higher than either of them are comfortable with, but if there’s someone Clint’s willing to be caught in a ridiculously romantic scenario with, it’s Natasha.

It’s always _been_ Natasha.

\--

“We’re almost home,” Clint says as he smooths a hand over her hair, her head resting on his lap, and she would’ve laughed if she had the energy.

 _Home_ is something that’s never really existed for Natasha. Only stolen glimpses of places and people before they’re inevitably torn away from her. The closest she’s gotten to home is, well, Clint.

That’s something she will have to face, but later. For now she just fights to stay awake, trying to ignore the burning of the bullet wound in her stomach. Hopefully, the cab driver still hasn’t noticed the way her blood is staining the seats, or heard the occasional whimper escape her lips, and Clint gently shushing and comforting her.

Clint. Natasha lets him be the tether that anchors her to consciousness, and she grips his hand tightly all the way until the cab pulls up beside Stark Tower. If the driver notices anything out of the ordinary about dropping people off at where a billionaire lives, he doesn’t say anything.

\--

JARVIS stops playing the music for two seconds to switch songs, and Natasha can hear Clint’s heartbeat even through his SHIELD gear. She listens as her own syncs up with his. She doesn’t know how to put it into words, but she feels understood. For once in her life, she feels like she truly belongs, ~~almost like she’s home~~. 

It’s always been Clint.

**Author's Note:**

> [Find me on my other platforms here!](https://linktr.ee/karasnecklace)


End file.
